Using Pale and Dark Colours in a room.

by Pauline Finch-Lea
(Eastbourne UK)

If you want to make a room look wider - use a darker colour on one wall with a lighter shade of the same colour on the opposite wall.

Make your 'focus' point on one wall only so that it IS just that.

To make a ceiling appear higher paint a few inches of the ceiling colour at the top of each wall.

Finish off the different areas of paint with covings and mouldings. If you do not have the funds to purchase plaster ones, polystyrene ones look good and are very much cheaper. However Polystyrene can catch fire easily so do not use near open flames.

You can find many valuable pieces of furniture, linen, vases and other decorative pieces in 'Charity' Sales shops, both in the UK and in all over the world.

And they can be fun to shop in as you never know what you might find in each one. Above all, most things are sold very cheaply.

Mirrors and mirror tiles can be used very decoratively too.

If your soft chairs/suites/sofas are the wrong colour, use 'throws, or covers to change them.

For those people able to sew - the world of design is at your fingertips. For those yet unable to do so - sewing is a skill that can save you a great deal of money, and you are usually able to find patterns to use which will give you the wanted designs.

The price of learning the skill is more than covered when you are able to make your own curtains, linens, wall hangings, cushions and many, many other things you have in mind that you want.

Happy designing to all...and heaps of fun at the same time!

HUGSsss